THE REPTILES OF AUSTRALIA - TURTLES

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
Covering Australian Snakes and Lizards, Crocodiles and Turtles

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COLUBRID SNAKES - Colubridae Homalopsidae Mud Snakes

PYTHON SNAKES - Pythonidae

ELAPID SNAKES - Elapidae Cobras Coral Snakes

SEA SNAKES - Hydrophiinae Laticaudidae Sea Kraits

FILE SNAKES - Acrochordidae

BLIND SNAKES - Worm Snakes - Typhlopidae Ramphotyphlops

Selection of Australian Frogs

TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines

DRAGON LIZARDS Agamas Agamidae

GECKO LIZARDS Gekkonidae

LEGLESS LIZARDS Pygopodidae Pygopods

MONITOR LIZARDS Goannas Varanids Varanidae

Skinks of Australia

CROCODILES Crocodylia Crocodilia Saltwater freshwater estuarine

Reptiles of the World

AUSTRALIAN TURTLES,TORTOISES AND SLIDERS
ORDER: Testudines

Emydura victoriae

FRESHWATER TURTLES
Family:Cheluidae
* Indicates recent updates or new page

Irwin's Turtle Elseya irwini (=stirlingi) Qld

Common Name

(Internal Links)

Scientific Name
(External Links)

Distribution

(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

Arnhem Land Long-Necked Turtle

Chelodina burrungandjii

NT (Arnhem Land)

Cann's Long-necked Turtle

Chelodina canni (was C. novaeguineae canni and C. rankini)
(Subgenus: Chelodina)

NT, Qld

Broad-Shelled River Turtle

Chelodina expansa
(Subgenus: Chelydera)

NSW, Qld, SA, Vic

*Kuchling's Long-necked Turtle
(see Northern Long-Necked Turtle)

Chelodina Kuchlingi (Status Uncertain (synonymised) with Chelodina rugosa)
(Subgenus: Chelydera)

WA

Darwin Snake-necked Turtle

Chelodina kurrichalpongo

NT

Eastern Snake-necked Turtle or Common Long-necked Tortoise

Chelodina longicollis
(Subgenus: Chelodina)

NSW, ACT, Qld, SA, Vic
(Tas - introduced)

*Oblong Turtle or Narrow-breasted Snake-necked Turtle

*Chelodina oblonga (previously known as C. colliei for a while)
(Subgenus: Macrochelodina)

South-western WA

* Northern Long-necked Turtle

* Chelodina rugosa rugosa (previously called C. oblonga for a while)
(Subgenus: Chelydera)

NT?, WA?
(Excluding Torres Strait Islands)
(Distribution to be confirmed)

* Snake-necked Turtle
SUBSPECIES
(status uncertain)

*Chelodina rugosa intergularis
(Subgenus: Chelydera)

NT,Qld?,WA? (Distribution to be confirmed)

Siebenrock’s Snake-necked Turtle SUBSPECIES
(status uncertain)

Chelodina rugosa siebenrocki
(Subgenus: Chelydera)

Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait Islands Qld?, (Distribution to be confirmed)

Flat-shelled Turtle

Chelodina steindachneri
(Subgenus: Chelodina)

WA

Kimberley Snake-necked Turtle

Chelodina walloyarrina
(Subgenus: Chelydera)

NT, WA (distribution uncertain)

*Southern Snapping Turtle or White-throated Snapping Turtle

Elseya albagula

Qld

Northern Snapping Turtle

Elseya dentata (=jukesi)

NT, Qld, WA

Yellow Bellied Snapping Turtle

Elseya flaviventralis

NT

Irwin's Turtle

Elseya irwini (=stirlingi)

Qld

*Gulf Snapping Turtle (Probably Extinct) (Status uncertain)

Elseya lavarackorum is only known from fossils - live specimens previously known by this name are now called Elseya oneiros (Status uncertain)

Gulf of Carpentaria NT, Qld

Mary River Turtle

Elusor macrurus

Qld

*Gulf Snapping Turtle
(Status uncertain)

Elseya oneiros was previously known as Elseya lavarackorum which is only known from fossils (Status uncertain)

Gulf of Carpentaria NT, Qld

* Cooper Creek Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

(Proposed new name Emydura emmotti) (Status Uncertain)

SA, Qld (Lake Eyre Basin)

*Hunter River Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

Emydura macquarii gunabarra
(Proposed new name Emydura gunabarra) (Status Uncertain)

NSW (Hunter River)

* Macquarie Turtle or Common Short-necked Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

Emydura macquarii macquarii (Proposed new name Emydura macquarii) (Status Uncertain)

NSW, ACT, SA, Vic

* Krefft's River Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

Emydura macquarii krefftii
(Proposed new name Emydura krefftii krefftii) (Status Uncertain)

(Central coastal Qld)

* Brisbane Short-necked Turtle or Brisbane River Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

Emydura macquarii signata
(Proposed new name Emydura krefftii signata) (Status Uncertain)

Qld (SE Qld ), NE NSW?

* Krefft's River Turtle
Unnamed Species
(Status Uncertain)

Emydura macquarii krefftii
(Proposed new name undecided Emydura krefftii sp) (Status Uncertain)

(NE Qld)

* Fraser Island Short-neck Turtle
(Status Uncertain)

Emydura macquarii nigra
 (Proposed new name Emydura krefftii nigra) (Status Uncertain)

Qld (Fraser Island)

*Jardine River Short-necked Turtle

Emydura subglobosa angkibaanya

Cape York Peninsula, Qld

*Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle

Emydura subglobosa subglobosa

South Papua New Guinea

Worrell's Short-necked Turtle (or Diamond Head Turtle)

Emydura subglobosa worrelli

NT, Qld

Northern Yellow-faced Turtle

Emydura tanybaraga

NT, Qld

Northern Red-faced Turtle and North-West Red-faced Turtle

Emydura victoriae (includes turtles previously known as Emydura australis)

NT, WA

* Manning River Helmeted Turtle or Purvis' Turtle

Flaviemys (was Myuchelys, Wollumbinia & Elseya) purvisi

(Manning River area) NSW

Western Swamp Turtle

Pseudemydura umbrina

WA

Fitzroy River Turtle

Rheodytes leukops

Qld

*Namoi River Snapping Turtle or Bell's Turtle

Wollumbinia (was Myuchelys) bellii

NSW

* Bellinger River Snapping Turtle or Georges' Turtle

Wollumbinia (was Myuchelys) georgesi

NSW (Bellinger River)

*Saw-Shelled Turtle

Wollumbinia (was Myuchelys)
latisternum (=dorsii)

NSW, NT, Qld


PIG NOSED TURTLES
Family:Carettochelydidae

Common Name

 

Scientific Name

Distribution
(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

Pig Nosed or Pitted-Shelled Turtle

Carettochelys insculpta

NT, (New Guinea)


SEA TURTLES (Marine)
Family: Cheloniidae

Note that although Sea Turtles may stray into or spend time in cooler water, the females must return to warmer climates to lay their eggs.

Common Name

 

Scientific Name
(Subgenus in parentheses)

 

DISTRIBUTION
(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

Pacific Loggerhead Turtle

Caretta caretta gigas

(All States)

Pacific Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas japonica

(All States)

Hawksbill Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata bissa

(NSW, NT, Qld, Tas, Vic)

Pacific (or Olive) Ridley Turtle

Lepidochelys olivacea

(NT, Qld, NSW, WA, Vic, SA)

Flatback Turtle

Natator depressus (was Chelonia depressa)

(NSW, NT, Qld, WA)


HYBRIDS

Note that these hybrids occur in the wild

 Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) × Pacific Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) × Kemp's Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)

Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) × Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) × Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) × Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) × Pacific Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

 


LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE (Marine)
Family: Dermochelyidae

Common Name

 

Scientific Name

 

Distribution
(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

Leathery or Luth Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

(All States)

 

Sliders (INTRODUCED)
Family:Emydidae

Common Name

(Internal Links)

Scientific Name
(External Links)

Distribution

(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

* Red-eared Slider - INTRODUCED

Trachemys scripta elegans

ACT?, NSW, Qld (From USA, introduced into many countries)

* Western Pond Turtle - INTRODUCED

Actinemys (was Clemmys) marmorata

NSW (Sydney Area) (From USA)

 

Pond & River Turtles (INTRODUCED)
Family:Geoemydidae

Common Name
(Internal Links)

Scientific Name
(Subgenus in parentheses) (External Links)

Distribution
(Distribution key and map at bottom of page)

*Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle - INTRODUCED - protected by the CITES and IUCN

Mauremys sinensis

Toowoomba area Qld (native to South East Asia) - (this species may not be breeding in the wild in Australia)

DISTRIBUTION KEY

Click on the abbreviation below to see a map of the area

CKI = Cocos (Keeling) Island

NSW = New South Wales

Qld = Queensland

Tas = Tasmania

Vic = Victoria

ACT = Australian Capital Territory
(Canberra region only - excludes Jervis Bay Territory)



Australia map

LINKS OF INTEREST

Click here for more Information about Australian Turtles and Tortoises

 TURTLES, TORTOISES AND CROCODILES
FROM AROUND THE WORLD
John Fowler

Red-eared Slider - INVASIVE SPECIES
John Fowler

TurtleSAT


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OTHER LINKS

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TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines

Turtles
of
Australia


TURTLE SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Turtles of South Australia

Turtles of NSW

QUEENSLAND TURTLES

Northern Territory TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines

WESTERN AUSTRALIA TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines

Tasmanian TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines

VICTORIAN TURTLES

Turtles of ACT

Turtles of
South
Australia

Turtles
of
NSW

Turtles
of
Qld

Turtles
of
NT

Turtles
of
WA

Turtles
of
Tasmania

Turtles of
Victoria

Turtles
of
ACT




Sea Turtles of the World

Freshwater Turtles of the world

Tortoises of the would menu button

Sea Turtles
of The World

Freshwater
Turtles
of The World

Tortoises
of The World




REPTILE SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Reptiles of South Australia
REPTILES OF VICTORIA
 REPTILES OF NSW REPTILES OF QUEENSLAND REPTILES OF NORTHERN TERRITORY REPTILES OF Western Australia Reptiles of the ACT(Canberra)

Reptiles of South Australia

Reptiles
of
Victoria

Reptiles
of
NSW

Reptiles
of
Qld

Reptiles
of
NT

Reptiles
of
WA

Reptiles
of the
ACT

Reptiles of Tasmania




Reptiles of Lord Howe Island

Reptiles of Christmas Island

Reptiles
of Cocos Keeling Islands

Reptiles of Norfolk Island








Reptiles of Australia

Selection of Australian Frogs

Reptiles of the World

Amphibians of the World

Reptiles
of
Australia

Frogs
of
Australia

Reptiles
of
The World

Amphibians of the
World




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Contact John Fowler Author of the Australian Herpetology Website, Pythons of the World, - Owner of the Adelaide Reptile Forum

Contact John Hollister Author of John Hollister Reptile Collection - Herping the Trans-Pecos & Sweetwater, Texas Rattlesnake Roundup

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Updated January 2, 2023


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